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Advice on using HRT please: What are the pros & cons?
Women's Health | Last Active: Dec 16 9:57am | Replies (39)Comment receiving replies
Hi, @love4life - Mayo Clinic Connect is a community of patients supporting one another and exchanging information. We are not medical professionals and don't provide medical advice. I believe this will provide some useful information for you on Connect https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/about-connect/tab/aboutconnect/.
I hope you will find a lot of value in interaction with members here who bring a wealth of health and medical learnings from what they have personally lived.
So, while we can't provide medical professional responses to whether HRT is necessary for a someone with no menopausal symptoms, I trust you will find others sharing their experiences helpful to add perspective as you look into the idea of HRT and weigh any risks, and look at possibilities for caring for your health with other medicine or supplements instead of HRT.
What are your thoughts so far, @love4life, from researching some of the supplements you mentioned?
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Thank you Lisa for all clarifications.
Responding to your last question, I think it is better not to take HRT due to controversial and contradictory data. Better be safe than sorry. For instance, some websites (copied in the previous posts) say that there is a 75%chance of getting breast cancer if you use HRT. However, others say that the risks are very low. No research was done for women below 50 using HRT. Nobody can say for sure. I guess it is difficult for doctors making recommendations on the basis of such conflicting research. However, I think it is not fair to put all the burden on the patient. Doctors say that this is a patient's decision. Yes, I have no problem making a decision, but I need to be explained which data is correct. The 75% chance and no chance for getting breast cancer are two completely different information.
So far, I would rather not take HRT, and focus on prevention of diseases which might develop in the future due to the lack of estrogen and progesterone. These diseases (which may or may not develop) are osteoporosis and cardiovascular diseases. I am taking Vitamin D and calcium as prevention of osteoporosis (under endocrinologist supervision). I am not taking anything for prevention of cardiovascular disease. I just try to eat healthy.
However, I am not sure if I am being smart or not.
I discussed this with many doctors and each one of them has a different opinion, which all focus on risks for breast cancer.